Somebody To Love
by Lostafewscrews
Summary: Ash Ketchum wasn't asking for much - all he wanted was someone to love, and for someone to love him back. Could that someone be Gary Oak? GaryxAsh.


Author's Notes:

For the last two weeks, I have exhausted fan fiction for every AshxGary story there is, but I was left sorely disappointed - I wanted more. So if anyone can recommend a website with Palletshipping stories, then feel free to send me an email. Or you can tell me where to find a good AshxGary story here in fan fiction, just in case I missed some.

This is my tribute to those two amazing characters. I hope you enjoy.

Warning: Characters may seem OOC at times.

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon.

* * *

Ash sat by his window, his arm propped up on his chin, admiring the beautiful hues of red, purple and yellow - intermixing into what would be one of the most gorgeous sunsets he had ever witnessed. No painting could ever do justice and no words could ever describe the almost heavenly atmosphere he was witnessing, a gift from God himself that would never be surpassed by man.

A small sigh escaped Ash's lips as his eyes glazed over. It seems that not even the celestial bodies could keep his attention for long, as his thoughts keep bombarding him with the most recent events in his life. He had just become the Pokemon Master, a feat that not many could say they accomplished. He was _supposed _to be ecstatic - after all, he had just achieved his childhood dream of becoming the strongest trainer in the regions.

_It's not supposed to be like this, _he thought, as he stood up and lied on his bed. He was the _Master, _damnit. He should've been out there, signing autographs, taking pictures, and kicking ass to those who dared challenge him. Life was supposed to get better, and the adventures even grander. _It's not supposed to be like this, _he reiterated. _I'm supposed to be happy._

"No, I _am _happy," he managed to say with steely resolve. Yet at the back of his mind, he knew that it sounded almost hollow, that he was lying to himself, because Ash Ketchum was everything else in the world, but he _wasn't _happy.

* * *

"Good morning honey, Pikachu," Delia greeted her son and the yellow Pokemon perched on his shoulder as they climbed down the stairs. "Your breakfast is on the table."

"Thanks mom, but I'm not hungry. Me and Pikachu are going out for a walk," Ash replied, with a finality in his tone that suggested he wasn't in the mood to eat or argue with his mom about the importance of breakfast.

With a sigh, Delia put down the dishes she was washing as she heard the door shut. _I wish you could just tell me what's bothering you,_ she thought, as a tear rolled down her cheek. Ash had changed, and afraid as she was to admit, it wasn't for the better. She didn't know when it started, or even why for that matter, but she wished fervently that he would go back to his old self.

She's tried everything she could think of to find out what was happening, but her son has been surprisingly tight lipped about it. She called his friends, but even they were stumped. She just didn't know what to do anymore, and she has never felt so useless in her entire life.

"Mime…"

Delia glanced to her right, startled. She was so deep in thought that she didn't realize Mr. Mime had already put his hand on her shoulder. She looked up at the Pokemon, who had an unnaturally serious and determined look on his face.

"Mime.." he repeated.

"You're right, Mr. Mime. This is no time for me to bawl my eyes out. My baby needs me, and I have to be strong enough for him," Delia said, as she wiped the tears from her eyes. She wasn't going to give up - she was going to snap her son out of the depression he seemed to be in, because Delia Ketchum is, above everything else, a mother. And she'd be damned before she lets anything happen to her precious son.

"I'm going out for a bit, Mr. Mime," Delia said, as she removed her apron and grabbed her purse. "I have to talk to the Professor."

"Mr. Mime!" the Pokemon replied with vigor, glad that he managed to bring his mistress out of the mood she was in.

* * *

Ash walked without a particular destination in mind. He just needed to get away, to get some space, to be alone. He didn't want to be at home - he couldn't bear to see the worried glances his mother took when she thought he wasn't paying attention. It broke his heart to see his mother like this, but he couldn't do anything about it. He _wanted _to be alright, but he wasn't, and he didn't want to lie to himself anymore than he already did.

"Pika pi…" the electric Pokemon decided to break the silence. She was worried about her master. He wasn't the same anymore, and everyone around them knew it. She wanted to know what was wrong, she wanted to make him feel better, but no matter what she did, it didn't seem to bring Ash out of his depression.

Ash stopped walking and took a glance at his best friend. He could see the frown marring Pikachu's face, and he really wanted to tell her that everything would be ok, but he couldn't. He sighed and took a look at his surroundings. He was at the park, and with Spring in full swing, encircled by different types of flora. The aroma of the flowers was enough to bring him at ease, at least temporarily.

"Pikachu…" Ash began, as he sat down on the grass. "I'm really sorry for worrying you, and everyone else for that matter. I just… I don't know what to do anymore." He looked at his Pokemon and tried to pull out a smile.

"I'm scared. I'm changing and I'm scared, and I'm afraid that people wouldn't like this change," Ash continued, eyes brimming with tears. " I've had enough time to think about it, and now I know for sure. I'm gay, Pikachu a-and I h-hate it." He couldn't take it anymore, after hiding for so long, Ash Ketchum couldn't take it anymore, and as a result, he wept.

Pikachu could only stare at her companion. She couldn't quite understand what was wrong, but she knew it had to be horrible if it brought him to this state. She had always known Ash to be the confident, albeit clumsy, trainer and she had _never _seen him reduced to this. It hurt her, because she knew there was nothing she could do, but being the faithful best friend, she cried alongside her trainer.

"Why couldn't I be normal?" Ash continued, after finally regaining some composure. "O-out of a-all the people in the world, why _me?_" he asked to no one in particular, voice shaking, but gaining more and more resolve with each passing word. He wanted to say more - he wanted to shout, to scream all his frustrations out, but he simply didn't have the energy for that.

So he settled for a deep breath and stared at the sky. "I don't know where to begin, Pikachu. I know I have to tell my mom, but I don't know how, and I d-don't want t-to d-disappoint h-her." His voice started to shake again, and his tears were on the verge of falling, but he steeled himself. He wasn't going to cry. Not anymore.

"Pi pika pi!" Pikachu mustered in her most confident voice. Ash looked at his Pokemon, and smiled a true smile in what seemed like forever. He admired Pikachu's courage, and wished he could have a smidge of it right now, because truth be told, he had lost his a long time ago.

Ash gazed up at the sky once more, staring at the heavens as intensely as he could, as if some higher being would come down from the sky to assure him that everything would be alright.

* * *

"Delia, what a pleasant surprise. To what do I owe this pleasure?" Professor Oak was genuinely surprised to see Delia Ketchum standing on his doorway. He hadn't seen her in a while, not since Ash came back to Pallet Town two weeks ago.

"Oh Samuel! It's about Ash…" Delia began, inviting herself inside the Professor's laboratory, taking a seat in one of the empty chairs beside a table full of paperwork. "He hasn't been himself lately," she continued, "and I'm worried about him."

"Have you tried asking him what was wrong?" the Professor asked, his voice laden with concern. Ash was like a grandson to him, and he was prepared to help out at all costs should the situation call for it.

"I have, but he won't tell me anything," Delia replied. "Oh I've been so worrie-"

"What's this about Ash I hear?" a voice from behind called out.

Delia turned around and saw Gary Oak standing by the foyer. "Gary!" she exclaimed, her son's troubles momentarily forgotten by her surprise. "How long have you been here? Ash would be so happy to see you!" she continued. She hadn't seen Gary in almost a year, not since he started his research at Cinnabar Island.

"I've only been here for a couple of days," Gary replied. "So what happened to Ash? He didn't lose his Pokemon Master title already, did he?" he persisted, his signature smirk plastered on his face. "It's only been a couple of months since the championships."

"I'm afraid it's much more serious than that," Delia looked at Gary with a grim expression on her face. She knew her son's problems didn't concern the title - it seemed too shallow for it to cause such a huge change in her son. "I just wish I knew what was bothering him…" Delia managed to choke out.

"Gary…" Professor Oak began, "Why don't you try and talk to Ash? You used to be extremely close. I'm sure you can find ou-"

"Key word being _used to,_ gramps," Gary interrupted. "Besides, how do you know Ash will even talk to me? I doubt he's talked to _anyone _about thisif the look on your faces is anything to go by."

"Please, Gary?" Delia pleaded. "It won't hurt to try, will it?" She was desperate to attempt anything to get her Ash back to normal.

Gary sighed. He would really rather avoid Ash. After all, that's what he has been doing for the past few years, and he's been _very _good at it. He couldn't, however, ignore the desperation in Delia's words. It tugged his heart, to hear someone he thought of as a second mother sound so defeated. And the moment he made eye contact with Ash's mom, he knew what he had to do. _Damnit, _he thought.

"Fine, I'll do it."

* * *

"Why am I doing this again?" Gary asked himself. He's been looking for Ash for the past two hours, and so far, he hasn't had any luck at all. _Oh, that's right, because I promised. Me and my big mouth._ He was getting frustrated - he's searched everywhere and he hasn't seen hair nor hide of his old rival.

But who was he to complain? After all - hiding is exactly what he himself has been doing. _But it was for a good cause_, Gary defended himself. He knew though, that he couldn't hide forever. And as the nature of secrets go - he knew his would spill eventually. He often told himself that he simply wasn't ready, that the consequences of his actions far outweigh the benefits.

_So when will you be ready?_ Gary scowled at the thought, his feet dragging him to the park without him realizing it. _I'll be ready in my own time,_ he said wordlessly to himself. _But right now, finding Ash is my priority. _Just thinking of Ash gave Gary butterflies in his stomach. He really didn't know when, or even how for that matter, but one day he just realized that Ash meant more to him than anyone else in the world. And that thought scared Gary.

He denied it, at first. He would often tell himself that it was just a phase - that sometime in the near future, he will find the right girl. But the more Gary denied, the more he felt, and one day he just stopped denying, and accepted it as a fact. It relieved him, but that relief also brought anxiousness. He couldn't tell anyone, not yet. So he hid - using his research as an excuse, and avoided Ash like the plague.

It hurt, but he decided it was for the best. He thought that in time, he would learn to forget and move on. _Bullshit_. The longer he was away, the more he yearned. It came to a point that he couldn't concentrate - that all he thought about was Ash. It aggravated him, but it brought him comfort at the same time. _Love. _The word almost seemed foreign to Gary Oak, but it was the only word that could best describe what he felt about his old friend.

Gary was brought out of his musings however, as he saw a figure lying on the grass with the afternoon sun beating down on his face. It was Ash - and he looked like an angel, an ethereal being living in a world of mere mortals, almost too delicate to touch. Gary suddenly felt the urge to run his hand through that thick ebony hair, cup that gorgeous face and plant a kiss on those tantalizing lips. _He's beautiful, _Gary thought to himself. The more he stared, the more entranced he became. And he knew, then and there, that Ash Ketchum had to be his.

* * *

"Well well, if it isn't Ashy-boy. So what's got your panties in a twist?"

Ash opened his eyes and sat up straight, his peaceful escapade broken by the sound of a familiar voice. _Oh God,_ he thought. _Not now._ He turned around and locked eyes with Gary Oak, who, after all these years, still sported that annoying smirk.

"What are _you _doing here?" Ash managed to ask despite his momentary surprise.

"Looking for you, obviously," was the clever retort he got.

"Well, you've found me. So now you can leave. I need to think." Ash wasn't in the mood to deal with Gary. After his emotional breakdown with Pikachu, he wasn't in the mood to deal with anything.

"_You _need to think?" Gary asked, an evil glint present in his eye. "So _finally_ you've started using that brain of yours." He smirked. He _missed _this, oh God did he miss this. He forgot how fun it was to tease Ash, and how fun it was to see him get riled up. _It brings back memories, _he thought.

Ash, however, wasn't as pleased as his counterpart was. Trying to keep his temper in check, he stood up and replied as coldly as he could. "Are you done? Or do you have something else to say? Because if you do, then I'm going home. I don't need to deal with this bullshit right now."

Gary flinched from the tone of Ash's voice. While he had been on the receiving end of Ash's anger before, he knew his rival never meant half of the things he said. This time though, he could actually _feel _the fury directed at him, and it _hurt_. "People are worried about you, Ash," he started, his face an expression of indifference, hiding from the wound Ash's earlier words had caused. "_I'm _worried about you," he continued, slowly walking towards his friend.

Ash's face softened at the words of his former rival, stomach churning unexpectedly as he took a good look at him for the first time. He noticed Gary's auburn hair, as unruly as ever, blowing freely from the wind. His eyes - those striking green eyes looked at his own, and Ash suddenly found it difficult to breathe. _Oh no, _he thought, his face blushing at the sudden closeness of Gary's body to his own. _I don't want to go through this again._

Gary took a step back, mistaking the redness of Ash's face for anger. "I'm just trying to look out for you, you know."

Ash shook himself out of his thoughts as he heard Gary speak. "And I appreciate that, but I'm fine. I just need some time alone." _Liar, _he thought silently to himself. He was anything _but _fine, but he couldn't risk telling anything to Gary. The hurt and humiliation should things backfire was enough to make Ash feel nauseous.

"Liar," he heard Gary speak, mirroring his own thoughts. _Apparently, he can still read me like an open book, _Ash cursed silently. He really wasn't all that surprised, though. After all, him and Gary had been inseparable when they were young, and after all that time spent together, they could finish each other's sentences and read each other's thoughts without blinking. It seems that, even years later, Gary still hasn't lost that touch.

"Just tell me what's bothering you," Gary pleaded, the concern evident on his features.

Ash looked at Gary in the eye, the churning in his stomach returning, and this time accompanied by the increasing beat of his heart. "Gary…" he began, "I can't tell you… I'm not -"

"Trust me," Gary interrupted, his voice taking on a whisper-like quality.

And Ash found that he wanted to do just that. He _wanted_ to trust Gary, just like he used to, and there was no better time to test that trust than right now.

Pikachu, who remained oddly silent throughout the conversation, suddenly climbed up to her master's shoulder, as if already knowing the outcome of the altercation. Snapped out of his thoughts by the abrupt movement of his Pokemon, Ash cursed silently to himself. _What am I doing? I can't!. _Whatever courage he had been building up suddenly crashed like a ton of bricks. He couldn't do it - he was too scared. And as the nature of cowards go, he turned around and ran, leaving a shocked and hurt Gary in his wake.

* * *

Delia immediately knew something was wrong when she heard her son slam the door. She noted the crushed look on his face, and how his hands shook when he pulled Pikachu off his shoulders. The scene almost made her cry again, but she stopped herself. _No more, _she thought. _I promised myself that I would be strong for the both of us._

Gathering the courage to speak, she asked her son what was wrong, though his nonchalant reply of "I'm fine" only made her frown some more. _Enough is enough._

"Ashton Ketchum, you will tell me what is wrong or _else_…" she said in her strictest voice. She didn't want to lecture her son as if he was still an eight year-old, but she had no choice. Being kind and motherly didn't work, so it was time to try a different approach.

"Mom…" Ash began, his tears still flowing freely, "can't we talk about this tomorrow?" After the confrontation with Gary, he wasn't in the mood to talk to his mother. All he wanted to do was cry himself to sleep.

"No." Delia almost winced at the tone of her voice, but she did her best to keep her expression as neutral as possible. She wasn't about to back out now. No, her son needed to tell her what was wrong, and after all is said and done, she will pick up the pieces and help her son recover.

"Talk to me, Ash," Delia continued without waiting for her son to reply. "I've been so worried about you, I just want to know what's wrong…"

"You won't like what I have to say."

"Then you don't know your own mother very well," Delia replied, a disappointed look crossing her features. "You can tell me _anything, _Ash. No matter what you say, I'll always be here for you. Trust me, _please_."

Ash looked at his mother, unsure of what to do. He sighed and wiped the tears from his face. Trust. The word left a bile taste in his mouth. He knew though, at the back of his mind, that if he couldn't trust his own mother, then he couldn't trust anybody. So in a giant leap of faith, he told her.

"I'm gay."

Whatever it was that she expected for her son to say, it certainly wasn't that. Amidst the shock of her life, Delia slowly managed to drag her feet towards her son, and when she was close enough, she hugged him for all he was worth.

"It's going to be ok," she managed to choke out, finally allowing her own tears to fall. "I'll always be here for you. You're my baby, and I love you and nothing you do will ever change that." And that was the truth. Delia didn't care about her son's sexuality - all she cared about was his well-being. And if that meant being gay, then so be it.

Ash didn't know what to say. He was overwhelmed, happy even, that his mother loved him just the same. A weight has been lifted off his shoulders, because he knew now that even if the entire world were to turn against him, he will always have his home as a sanctuary.

"Is that all that's been troubling you?" Delia managed to ask after a few minutes. While she was glad her son had opened up to her, she couldn't help but feel that something else was bothering him.

"It's not exactly easy, mom," Ash responded. "Plus, what would people think if they found out their champion wa-"

"Let them think whatever they want to," his mom interjected, almost a little too sternly. Then her facial expression softened, and she continued. "You can never please everybody, Ash. There will always be people who will judge you, but as long as you're not hurting anyone in your pursuit of happiness, then there really isn't anything you should worry about."

Ash looked at his mom, a little surprised by her words of wisdom. _She's right though, _he reflected. _I'm not doing anything wrong. I've been such a fool, hiding and crying. Not anymore, _he promised wordlessly to himself. He knew his problems were far from over, but he had every confidence in the world that things would be alright, because his family was there to support him.

* * *

Ash lied on his bed, arms outstretched. After a long day of drama, he was mentally and emotionally exhausted.

"It's been a long day, eh Pikachu?" he asked his favorite Pokemon, though the only reply he got was a twitch of its ears, signifying that she was just as psychologically drained as her master.

Ash smiled at Pikachu, slightly jealous of the fact that she was already asleep and he was still wide awake. It seems that his mind just wouldn't give him a break - the day's events kept repeating itself over and over again in his head. He smiled again as he remembered his mother's words to him, and he knew he would never forget them for as long as he existed.

The smile was short-lived, however, as he remembered Gary. _Gary, _he sighed to himself. _What am I going to do with you? _He knew he should apologize, he was in the wrong after all. Ash could still remember, quite vividly, the expression of hurt on Gary's face when he ran away. _I've been doing that a lot lately, haven't I? I'm not running away anymore, and tomorrow, I'll apologize. _

Satisfied that his conscience was sated, Ash started to close his eyes, confident that this time, he would be able to get some rest. But after a few twists and turns here and there, he finds it difficult to concentrate on sleeping, especially since his thoughts keep drifting back to a certain auburn-haired man. He didn't know why Gary was suddenly the star of his imagination tonight, but he relished in it nonetheless.

He knew he was going into dangerous territories, but he didn't care. Gary always had a special place in his heart - after all, it was that attraction to Gary that convinced him he was different from normal boys. He couldn't act on his attraction, however, for fear of rejection. So he drowned himself - in training, in being the best, in _everything, _just so he could forget.

_It worked,_ he thought to himself. _Kind of, anyway. _Being away from Gary made things easier for him, as he could keep those unwanted feelings buried deep in his heart. But after seeing him again today, those unwanted feelings sprang back with renewed vigor, and Ash suddenly finds it difficult to keep them bottled in.

A deep, longing sigh escaped his lips. This was one reason why he didn't like to think about Gary - it never failed to bring him disappointment. Ash wasn't asking for much - all he wants is someone to love, and for someone to love him back.

He really didn't know how many frogs he would have to kiss before finding his Prince, but he was willing to kiss a thousand if it meant getting his 'happily ever after.' And if by some miracle that Prince is Gary Oak, then great. _If not, then I can only hope to the heavens that one day, one beautiful day, I will find somebody to love_.

* * *

Professor Samuel Oak wasn't entirely sure what was wrong with his grandson, but if he had to take a guess, he would say Ash Ketchum. While he was already used to seeing Gary in one of his moods, his disposition yesterday was something out of the ordinary.

It was times like these that Professor Oak wished Gary's parents were still alive. He didn't mind taking care of his grandson. In fact, he savored the times he would teach Gary about the sciences and Pokemon evolution and took delight when he watched him set out on his Pokemon adventure. But teaching and parenting were two different things - and while he had plenty of things to teach, he was sorely lacking in the latter.

He tried to talk to Gary, but all he got in response was a grunt and a 'don't worry about it'. Samuel wanted to ask some more, to determine the root cause of the matter, but the normally talkative Professor suddenly found himself at a loss for words. So he left it at that - and throughout the rest of the night and the following day, he busied himself with the mountain of paperwork that was on his desk.

That was how Ash Ketchum found Professor Oak, diligently reading from a stack of papers, unwavering in his endeavor to understand the world of Pokemon. He had been knocking on the door several times, but no one answered. So he took the liberty of going in, confident that Gary was inside, holed up in his room somewhere.

"Professor?" Ash called out.

Samuel looked up from the article he was reading. He was so deep in concentration he hadn't realized he already had company. "Ash!" the Professor exclaimed in his surprise. "How have you been?" He took a good look at the boy he thought of as a grandson. He noticed how pale Ash looked, and the puffiness around his eyes was evidence that he had been crying recently.

"I'm fine, Professor," Ash answered back. He was starting to get uncomfortable under the suddenly intense gaze of the Professor. He supposed it was only normal, the Professor and his mom were close friends after all, and no doubt he's already heard about what happened from his mother. "I really just want to talk to Gary, if that isn't a problem," he managed to carry on.

"Of course not! Gary should be upstairs in his room." Samuel noted Ash fidgeting and decided to withhold the questions he wanted to ask. He knew the boys needed to work out the problem between them before it gets any worse. And while he wasn't adverse to helping out, he decided that the best solution was to let them handle it by themselves. "Talk to him, Ash. He's been upset since last night," he decided to add, before fixing his eyes back on the article he was reading.

"I will…" Ash responded, adding a little smile to show he was up for the challenge. He exited Professor Oak's study and slowly made his way to Gary's room. _Great, _he thought, as his smile faltered and was replaced by a frown. _I guess Gary was really affected by what I did._ _I just hope he can forgive me. _

Ash had never been so intimidated by a door in his entire life, but that's exactly what he felt when he stood outside Gary's room. He took a deep breath, before finally enclosing his right hand into a fist, and knocked on the door.

* * *

Gary Oak couldn't help but feel the pang in his heart when he thought about what happened yesterday with Ash. He was hurt when he ran away from him, but what really drove the stake through the heart was knowing that the most important person in his life didn't trust him enough to share his burdens with.

It really shouldn't have surprised Gary. He hasn't exactly been the kindest person to Ash, and he had done a poor job of keeping in contact with his friend, but that didn't make the pain hurt any less. He wanted to be there for him. He wanted to be the one to comfort him whenever he was sad, and be the first to cheer when he had achieved something significant. But the sad truth is, Ash Ketchum didn't trust him enough.

That hurt more than anything else in the world. For a moment, Gary wished zealously that he could go back in time, so he could right all the wrongs he had made, but no matter how many times he wished, it was all for naught. But while the past is indeed unchangeable, he had the entire future at the palm of his hands, and that gave him hope.

_I promise things that things will be different, _he vowed silently to himself. He was going to be a part of Ash's life from now on, and he was going to do everything in his power to hold that number one spot again in his life.

A knock on the door brought Gary out of his stupor. Sighing, he slowly got off his bed and walked towards the door - expecting his grandfather on the other end.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, eyes wide with shock, surprised at his unexpected visitor.

"Umm… can I come in?" Ash inquired, avoiding Gary's question. He was very uncomfortable standing outside Gary's room, and in truth, he would really rather be anywhere else than here. But he made a promise to himself that he was going to apologize, and noting the dark circles around Gary's eyes, he knew he was doing the right thing.

"I'm here to apologize," Ash finally answered, as he closed the door behind him and let himself in without hearing the affirmative from Gary.

Gathering the courage to speak once more, he looked at his friend and continued. "What I did yesterday… it was wrong, Gary, and I'm sorry." _There. I said it. _

A soft smile threatened to form on Gary's lips, but trying to keep his cool, he did his best to keep his facial expression as neutral as possible. "It's fine, don't worry about it," he answered back, as nonchalantly as he could.

"O-oh… great." Ash was a little flabbergasted at how Gary could be so indifferent concerning the whole thing. _He was obviously affected, _he thought. _So why? _As he kept thinking about the different reasons for Gary's apathy, he realized he must have looked like an idiot for spacing out, if the questionable look on Gary's face was anything to go by.

He was suddenly uncomfortable again. Now that he had said his apologies, he didn't know what he was still doing inside Gary's room. He should have left, but he found that he didn't want to do that. He _wanted _to be here. He wanted to be with Gary.

"So… umm…" Ash was a little unsure of what to say. He really didn't have much to talk to Gary about, and he would rather avoid doing small talk, so he just asked a question that hadn't been answered yesterday. "You never did tell me what you were doing here. I thought you were still at Cinnabar Island."

"I was, but I've already gathered everything that I could from there," Gary shrugged. It was the truth. His research at the island had started off great, but the excitement eventually dwindled down as he exhausted all of the island's resources. "I came back to help run things in the lab. Gramps isn't exactly young anymore, you know."

"Oh… I see." The silence in the room was deafening. Ash had been in a lot of awkward situations before, but this had to take the cake. He twiddled his fingers and looked down at his own shoes, suddenly finding it interesting.

"Are you ready to tell me what's wrong?" Gary asked, after finally gathering the audacity to do so. He wasn't going to let this golden opportunity pass by. He was going to find out what was happening, and he wasn't going to let Ash run away this time.

Ash sighed. He knew this was going to happen. He knew that Gary would start asking questions again - he was always too curious for his own good. He'd already prepared himself for this, prepared the perfect lie to tell Gary just to get him off his back, but he couldn't say it, because as he looked at Gary in the eye, he found that he wanted to tell him _everything. _

"I-I can't…" Ash croaked. He told himself that he simply wasn't ready yet. That _Gary_ wasn't ready. The truth was bound to change everything between them, and Ash wasn't prepared to handle the changes.

"I said this yesterday…" he heard Gary speak, as the distance between the two of them suddenly got closer and closer. "… and I'll say it again." He could feel Gary's breath tingling his skin, feel his own heart race at the closeness of their bodies, and feel himself drowning at the intense gaze of Gary's emerald eyes. "Trust me."

_Can I? _Ash asked himself. He trusted Gary before, but that didn't end up too well. Was he ready to trust him again? Was he ready to put that much faith in his friend? _Yes, I am, _he thought with conviction.

He looked at Gary and took a deep breath, his heart pounding faster and faster - almost ready to explode from the pressure it was feeling. This was it, the moment Ash had been dreading. He gathered up the courage, drew strength he never realized he had, and told him.

"I'm gay…" Ash said, as he broke his gaze and stared at the floor, too ashamed to look at Gary in the eye. "…and I like you." He didn't know what made him say the last part, but he just had the urge to do so. And now the sudden feeling of helplessness crept in. _Idiot_, he cursed himself in thought.

He closed his eyes for a moment and let his tears fall. He hated being vulnerable, and he hated it even more when he was being vulnerable in front of Gary Oak. He took notice of Gary's shocked expression, too afraid to even think of what it could mean. Before he even knew what he was doing, he started talking - explaining himself, explaining how he was still the same, how he would never change. Ash talked about _everything, _and he had no plans of stopping, because he didn't want to give Gary the opportunity to tell him to 'get lost.'

Gary, on the other hand, was left speechless. He had never expected those words to come from his former rival. He could feel the walls he had built over the years come tumbling down, and his heart leapt for joy - ecstatic at the fact that it was now free to love Ash once again.

As Gary stared at the angel in front of him, he couldn't stop the smile that formed on his face. Ash was so beautiful, and even that seemed like an understatement to him. And when Gary couldn't take it anymore, he grabbed Ash's face with both his hands and planted a kiss firmly on his lips.

Ash stood still - monologue completely forgotten. He could feel Gary's lips on his own, his tongue begging for entrance. But he couldn't move, too surprised at the sudden movement his counterpart made. And just when he was ready to close his eyes and enjoy the moment, Gary pulled back.

"It's not a crime to kiss back, you know," he heard Gary say.

So he cupped the back of his head, and did just that.

* * *

Ash Ketchum sighed as he looked outside his bedroom window. It was raining, and with the sound of thunder reverberating across his room, he was finding it difficult to get some sleep. He slowly made his way back to his bed, careful not to disturb the sleeping figure beside him. He smiled as he traced his lover's lips with his finger, before planting a soft kiss on his forehead.

It had been almost a year ago when he had finally admitted his feelings to Gary, and he hasn't regretted it for a single moment. He had never felt so happy in his life - and to think, he only had to kiss one frog before he found his Prince Charming.

Gary had been an instrumental part of his life during the past year. He was there when he told his friends about his sexuality, and he held him up when he announced to the world he was in love with a man. Not once did he falter, because Gary was beside him all the while. He was on cloud nine and it seems that nothing could ever bring him down, not when he had a slice of heaven right here on earth.

As he stared at the ceiling with a smile on his face, he thanked whatever gods may be for hearing his prayer - for giving him somebody to love.

He was brought out of his reverie by the feel of Gary's lips on his own, and as he kissed back with just as much fervor, he couldn't help but let a small, content sigh escape his lips. Yes, he was right where he's supposed to be.

And under the watchful eyes of the pale moonlight, two bodies became one. The sounds of their passion drowned by thunder, hands roaming wherever they could, their bodies moving to the beat of the rain, as beautiful as dancers, gliding over each other, faster and faster until finally reaching their climax.

Their breaths ragged from their most recent love-making, they shared one last kiss before drifting off into eternal bliss.

* * *

Author's Notes:

I hoped you all enjoyed what I wrote. This is actually the first time I've ever written anything, and while I doubt I'll be writing anything again, feedback and constructive criticism is always appreciated. You know, just in case I get the creative urge to do it once more.

Having said that, I think my inexperience in writing is actually evident in the story. I'm still trying to get the hang of making things flow, so if there are some scenes in the story that just didn't fit or didn't flow well or just plain awkward, then you know the answer. And another thing, if there are any grammar/spelling mistakes, I apologize. English isn't my first language.

I never intended for there to be so much drama, but eh, I guess this is what you writers mean when you say that the story just took a life of its own. And please forgive me if the characters may seem OOC at times - I haven't been keeping up with the anime. So if there are descriptions that just don't match, then it's my fault.

Lastly, thanks again for reading the story, and don't hesitate to recommmend any other GaryxAsh stories.


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